Circular knitting machines of the superimposed needle cylinder type



Oct. 9, 1962 F. E. DEANS ETAL 3,057,176

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES OF THE SUPERIMPOSED NEEDLE CYLINDER TYPE 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 1, 1959 76 m 4 2 4% m HI a 1.:xfi L f v 2% aw Oct. 9, 1962 F. E. DEANS ETAL 3,057,176

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES OF THE SUPERIMPOSED NEEDLE CYLINDER TYPE 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 1, 1959 F/GZ.

DEANS ETAL 3,057,176

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 9, 1962 F. E.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES OF THE SUPERIMPOSED NEEDLE CYLINDER TYPEFiled Sept. 1, 1959 Oct. 9, 1962 Filed Sept. 1, 1959 F. E. DEANS ETAL3,057,176 CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES OF THE SUPERIMPOSED NEEDLE CYLINDERTYPE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United fitates Patent 3,057,176 Patented Oct. 9,1962 ice 3,057,176 CIRCULAR KNITTING MACl-HNES OF THE SUPER- IMPOSEDNEEDLE CYLINDER TYPE Frederick Edward Deans and Carlyle HerbertWainwright, Leicester, England, assignors to The Bentley EngineeringCompany Limited, Leicester, England Filed Sept. 1, 1959, Ser. No.837,550 Claims. (Cl. 66-14) This invention is for improvements incircular knitting machines of the superimposed needle cylinder type andrelates to an improvement in or modification of the invention formingthe subject of US. Patent No. 2,910,847. Like the said earlier inventionthe present invention is concerned with circular knitting machines ofthe type (hereinafter referred to as the type specified) havingsuperimposed co-axial needle cylinders arranged to rotate and equippedwith double ended needles, and sliders in each cylinder for operatingsaid needles for knitting and for transferring needles between saidcylinders to alter the character of the fabric, and having stationarycam boxes, one for each cylinder, for actuating the sliders in theirknitting and transferring motions. Reference is directed to said earlierPatent No. 2,910,847 for informamation of the general problems involvedwhen one of the needle cylinders (in that case the top cylinder) isprovided with an extension to accommodate patterning instruments. It hasbeen found to be advantageous in some cases to arrange that the bottomcylinder is the one having the extension, and closely similar problemsarise also in that case because the bottom cam boxes must be spacedupwardly from the normal underneath mounting of the bottom cylinder inorder to allow room for the patterning mechanism to act on theinstruments in the lower part of the bottom cylinder forming itsextension. The present invention has for an object to adapt the sameprinciples used in said earlier invention for use with a machine havingan extended bottom cylinder.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a knitting machine ofthe type specified wherein the bottom cylinder is'extended beyond thelength required for the knitting and transferring movements of thebottom sliders and is equipped within its extension with additionalinstruments for actuating the sliders under the dictates of patterningmechanism operable on the instruments, the bottom cylinder together withits extension being rotatably supported on a stationary support by abearing at or near the lower end of such extension so as to upstand fromsuch bearing, and wherein the bottom cam box is also supported from saidstationary support in such manner as to permit the patterning mechanismto act on the additional instruments. As in the previous constructionsreferred to, the invention avoids the need for providing an interveningsupporting plate to form a mounting for one of the cam boxes at aposition located between the normal top and bottom plates by which thecylinders are supported rotatably.

In carrying out the invention there may be cam box supportingmeans'extending upwards exteriorly of the bottom cylinder extensiondirectly from the said stationarysupport tothe cam box, said supportingmeans having at least one gap or aperture permitting the patterningmechanism to act on the instruments. In carrying out the invention inthis manner the mounting of the bottom cam box will correspond to themounting described in said Patent No. 2,910,847 for the top cam box,except that it is in a completely inverted attitude. In a preferredarrangement however the support of the cam box from said stationarysupport is obtained through the bottom cylinder and its extension. Theseprovisions and other features of the invention are incorporated in theknitting machine constructions which will now be described in detailwith reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the upper part of the machine in oneform of construction;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view in a vertical plane through the cylinder,cam box and bedplate, taken on the line IIII of FIG. 3.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line IIIIII in FIG. 1.

FIGURE 4 is a part-sectional elevation, and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional plan on the line V-V of FIG. 4 showing means foradjusting the axial alignment of the bottom cam box,

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing an alternative method ofsupporting the cam box assembly, and

FIGURE 7 is a detail view taken in section through the cylinder walls toshow the needle sliders and instruments.

In FIG. 1 sufiicient of the knitting machine is shown to permit of itsbeing identified as a machine of the type specified. Attention isdirected to the top and bottom needle cylinders, 1, 2, their respectivecam boxes 3, 4 and the bed 5 of the machine (on which the bottomcylinder 2 is rotatably supported). The top cam box 3 contains variousknitting and transferring cams of conventional type (not shown) to acton top needle sliders 42 (FIG. 7) and is secured through the medium ofits cam box plate 6 to the top gear housing 7, which in turn is attachedto the top bed plate 8, in known manner.

The bottom cylinder 2 has a tricked downward extension 2a extendingbeyond the length necessary merely to accommodate the bottom sliders 43shown in FIG. 7 and to provide for their knitting and transferringmovements, this extension 2a being equipped with slidable patterningjacks 44 and 45 (FIG. 7) of a kind themselves well known. These jacksare adapted to be acted upon by any known form of patterning mechanism,one form of which is indicated generally at 9 by chain dotted lines. Thepatterning mechanism, when operated, slides the jacks and brings theminto and out of the range of patterning cams disposed within a jack cambox 10 which is a detachable part of the bottom cam box assembly. Thepatterning cams impart additional movements to the jacks so that thelatter in turn impart, to the sliders, movements which dilfer from thoseimparted to the latter by he normal knitting and transferring cams.

The bottom cylinder 2 is attached to and rotatably supported by the gearcarriage 11, FIG. 2 which has its bearing through the thrust race 12 inthe bottom bed plate 5. Towards its upper end the cylinder 2 is providedwith an external peripheral bearing flange 13, FIG. 2 to engage in abearing groove provided by the bottom cam box assembly. This assemblyshown in FIG. 2 comprises the bottom cam box 4 which is attached byscrews 14 to an intermediate plate 15 to the underside of which isattached by screws 16 the'jack cam box 10. The ring or bearing plate 17is housed in the intermediate plate 15 and supports the entire assemblyon the flange 13 of the cylinder 2. A ring 18 is provided in the jackbox 10 to prevent any upward movement of the cam box assent-- bly due tothe thrust resulting from the action of. the sliders and jacks on thecams in their respective cam boxes. The peripheral bearing flanges 13may readily be arranged to extend completely around the bottom cylinder,but it need only be provided at say three or more intervals spaced apartaround the cylinder, so as to present means locating the cam box heightwise on the cylinder while permitting relative rotation between thecylinder and cam boxes. If reference is made to FIG. 1 it will be notedthat the bottom cam box 4 and jack box 10 are conveniently sectionalisedas shown by the gaps 4a and 10a respectively, to facilitate assembly anddismantling. The sections are of course arranged to interfit" in properregistry. The bearing flange 13 on the bottom cylinder may for practicalconvenience be formed integrally with the cylinder, machining of thecylinder being performed so as to provide the outwardly directed flangeof appropriate dimensions projecting from its surface there-around or atintervals there-around. This manner of making the cylinder will involvecutting the tricks (indicated at 19, FIGS. 2 and 3) therein so as toextend through the bearing flange 13, but this will not interfere withthe functioning of. the flange for supporting the cam box assembly andmay for certain purposes not requiring mention herein be advantageous.

In carrying out the invention there may be provided anchoring meansadditionalto the said supporting means for preventing rotation orpartial rotation of the bottom cam box assembly. The machine may includecentering means for centering the cam box with respect to the axis ofthe bottom cylinder and such centering means may be constituted by orincorporated in the anchoring means just referred to. FIGS. 1 and 3illustrate a typical example of such construction. It may be mentionedat this point, that while it is possible to permit the cam box assemblyto center itself on the cylinder 2 or its extension 2a, yet, in certaineventualities (for example in transferring a considerable number ofneedles) loads may be thrown on the cylinder 2 tending to force itstricks out of alignment with the tricks in the cylinder 1 and it isdesirable to center the cam box assembly independently of the cylinder 2and to so arrange matters that when such loads occur the cam boxassembly acts as a steady or bearing for the cylinder 2.

In the illustrated construction there are three torque rods 20, 21, 22,all of which extend tangentially with respect to the axis of the machineand, at one end they are each attached by screws 34 to the intermediateplate 15 of the cam box assembly whilst at the other to stationarysupports. As shown rods 20, 21, 22,, are each mounted on pillars 23, 24,25, respectively forming the stationary supports. The joints 26, 27, 28,at which the respective torque rods are connected to the intermediateplate 15 are approximately equi-distant around the cam box assembly andit will readily be appreciated that the construction illustrated. notonly prevents rotational movement of the cam box assembly but alsoprevents any lateral movement of it.

Means is provided for the rotational adjustment of the cam box assemblyand for its lateral adjustment. To this end the rods 20, 21, 22 aremounted on eccentric bosses 29 on collars 30 (FIGS. 4 and carried by thevrespective pillars, the collars 30 being rotatable except when held inplace by the clamping screws 31. Locating collars 32 are provided abovethe rods, these being held in place by their clamping screws 33. Bysuitable rotation of one or more of the collars 30, the eccentricvbosses can determine the position of the axis of the cam box assemblyrelatively to the general. axis of the. machine and also. its rotationaladjustment.

As mentioned. earlier, in an alternative constructionin accordancewwiththe invention the cam box assembly may besupported on. struts. or.legs. FIG. 6 illustrates one such strut; Other. struts may beprovided,to make up a total. of say three or four, at convenientintervals around.thecylinder; As canbe seen these supports comprise a small bracket 134attached by a screw or screws 35 to the bed 5 of the machine. A screwedpin 36 forms a hinge supporting the leg or strut 37, the upper end ofleg 37 being drilled and tapped to take a threaded adjustable eye-bolt38 which is hinged in the fulcrum post 39 by the screwed pin 40. Fulcrumpost 40 is itself. screwed into the intermediate plate 15 of the cam boxassembly and locked by a nut 41. The height of the cam box assembly caneasily be adjusted by removing the pin 40 and revolving the eye bolt 38to increase or decrease the distance between the top and bottom hinges.In similar fashion i.e. by removing said pin 40 each leg 37 may be swungaway from the cylinder at any time to give access to the cylinders andcam boxes etc.

What we claim is:

1. In a circular knitting machine, the combination comprising upper andlower coaxial needle cylinders equipped respectively with top and bottomneedle sliders for knitting and transferring movements, a part of thebottom cylinder extending beyond the'length required for the knittingand transferring movements of said bottom sliders, instrument meanswithin said extending part for actuating said sliders, a patterningmechanism controlling said instrument means, supporting means by whichsaid top cylinder is rotatably mounted, a stationary support at thelower part of said extended bottom cylinder, a bearing on saidstationary support and rotatablymounting said bottom cylinder so as toupstand from said bearing, a bottom cambox, means supporting said bottomcambox from said stationary support merely against vertical thrusts andin' such manner as to afford space for said patterningmechanism to acton said instrument means, fixed anchorages spaced apart around saidbottom cambox, and anchoring means coupling said bottom cambox tosaidfixed anchor ages to resist lateral and rotational thrusts on saidcam-- box.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said means supportingsaid cambox from said stationary support is formed by upstanding strutsextending exteriorly' along the said extending part of said bottomcylinder directly from said stationary support to saidbottom cambox andproviding spaces permitting said patterning mechanism to act on saidinstrument means.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the said meanssupporting said bottom cambox from said stationary support isconstituted'by an external peripheral. bearing projection on said bottomcylinder and an interengaging grooved ring provided in said cambox;

4. The combination according to claim 1 whereinsaid fixed anchorages areconstituted by pillars connecting said supporting means for said topcylinder with said? stationary'support for said bottom cylinder andthesaid anchoring means are constituted by tangential rods each.connected at one end' to said cambox and at the. other end to one ofsaid pillars.

5. The combination according to claim 1 having means for adjusting'saidanchoring means to provide, for. rotational'and lateral adjustment ofsaid cambox;

Ref'erenceszCited in. thefile of. this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,780,931: Lawsonetal. Feb. 12, 195.7

FOREIGN PATENTSL 742,871 Great Britain I an. 4, 1956'

